Southland Echoes

A sweet little syndicated weekly music program graced the airwaves of the South in 1949, Southland Echoes. The program originated from the studios of WGTS, Atlanta. WGST was a commercially licensed station that belonged to the Georgia School of Technology. In 1949, the station spent a year as a full Mutual Network affiliate before becoming an ABC affiliate in 1950, and the first station in Atlanta to play Rock and Roll.

Southland Echoes was a commercial plug for a trio of patent medicines; "Black Draught" laxative, "Zyrone Tonic" for iron deficient anemia, and "Cardui" for "women's problems"; mothers were encouraged to write in for the "Hints for Women" booklet to aid in having "that discussion" with their daughters.

The program featured a trio of acts, usually led off by the humor of Jam-Up and Honey, a pair of blackface comedians. Jam-Up and Honey were the headline act for the touring tent show. he complex harmonies of the Homeland Gospel Quartet accompanied by piano, and a yodeling duet with guitar, the Jones Sisters, shared the musical duties on Southland Echoes.

This collection is part of the larger Minstrel Show Collection.  For other similar series, see also Amos and Andy, Amos And Andy Music Hall, Beulah, Pick and Pat, Johnson Family, Black Crows, Johnson Family, and Sam n' Henry. See also: article on the history of Minstrel Shows and Old Time Radio.